Iraq: 12 killed in suicide bomb

A dozen Iraqi soldiers have been killed and 30 others wounded in an attack by a suicide truck bomber south of Baghdad.

The huge explosion took place at an army checkpoint in Jurf al-Sakhar near the predominantly Shi'ite city of Hilla.

Police said the death toll was likely to rise as soldiers dug through the debris for survivors.

The bomber had apparently managed to gain access through one checkpoint before blowing himself up in a truck at a second barrier.

Attacks in provinces outside Baghdad have been on the rise since a US-led security crackdown in Baghdad began forcing insurgents out of the capital into surrounding towns and cities.

The security push in Baghdad and other areas has been an attempt to give the Shi'ite led government time to reach national reconciliation targets set by the US to avoid the country descending into an all-out sectarian conflict.

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